Emulation allows us to go back in time for a while. Thanks to them, we can remember those moments when we discovered those video games that have been part of our childhood, and that have shaped our tastes. Throughout this post we will talk about the best emulators that exist for each Sony console:
PlayStation 1 (PSX) Emulators
Let's start at the beginning, with the console that completely changed the landscape of video games. The original PlayStation is by far the one with the most number of emulators. We will keep only the ones that have shown the best performance over the years:
ePSXe (PlayStation) – PC (Windows, Mac and Linux)
It is the most used. For many, this emulator has no competition. It has huge title compatibility and is a modular type emulator. It has a series of plugins that serve to improve the experience and adapt the emulator to the ROMs that we are going to use.
It hasn't been updated for a few years now, but it's still easy to get it working. After executing it, we will configure the keymap that we are going to use and we will be able to load all the convenient modules.
Regarding its weak points, it is necessary to mention a few. Its interface is not the most modern thing in the world. On the other hand, for it to work it is necessary to have the BIOS of PlayStation. For legal reasons, it does not come in the installation itself, so you have to find it elsewhere —if you know how to search on Google, you will have it in less than a minute.
ePSXeRetroArch (Cross Platform)
Currently, the most modern way to enjoy PSX titles is through RetroArch. RetroArch is an application available in practically all platforms which allows you to load kernels of different types.
It doesn't matter if you use Mac, Windows, Linux, Android or even a Smart TV. With RetroArch, you can emulate a multitude of consoles, as long as the machine you run it on is powerful enough.
Within RetroArch, there are several nuclei which you can use to emulate PlayStation. The best known are:
- Beetle PSX
- duck station
- PCSX ReARMed
Positive points? From the same application you will be able to organize your games, play, put Cheats or even switch platforms when you get bored. RetroArch is a paradise for every video game lover. Regarding the negative, we have to admit that it costs a bit to get the hang of it. Although it has a simple interface, you will need time to acclimatize and get the full potential of this frontend of emulators.
PlayStation 2 emulators
The PlayStation 2 is one of the consoles that produces the most nostalgia. It's rare that you don't have one at home, but if you want to play on your computer, you can do it with these programs:
PCSX2 (Windows)
This emulator was developed by the same team that made PCSX. In fact, if you use this emulator, you will get better results than with an original PS2. PCSX2 allows resolution to be scaled up to modern dimensions. Has anti aliasing filter, and also allows you to load textures. Come on, if you get it right, you will be able to play your favorite video games with the quality of a remaster.
PCSX2 is compatible with the entire catalog of PlayStation 2, which, as you know, was not exactly small. To make it work, you will need the BIOS, a file that will not be provided to you from the official website.
PCSX2 emulatorPlay! ps2 emulator
This open source program not as advanced as PCSX2. However, its goal is not to take away ground, but rather to be a simple alternative to emulate PlayStation 2 games.
Play! PS2 Emulator is available for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. It requires virtually nothing to configure, so getting it up and running is a matter of installing and running. It also does not require loading a BIOS, so there are many advantages that we obtain if we use this emulator.
Play emulator! ps2 emulatorPlayStation 3 emulators
For years, the PlayStation 3 has been a machine that resisted emulation. Its processor was so complex that it was not easy for programmers to come up with a quick solution to emulate the console. In fact, if you want to play PS3 on your PS5, you have to use Sony's own cloud, because even they are not capable of coming up with a program that is good enough to emulate their own console.
Emulating the PS3 are already big words. You need a relatively powerful machine to move your games. These are the best programs you can use for this:
RPCS3
Is best ps3 emulator and the most complete you will find. It is an emulator open source which can be used on Windows and Linux.
RPCS3 stands still in development. In fact, it is estimated that it is compatible with just over half of the PS3 catalog. The team is currently working on improving the compatibility of the games.
With this emulator you can play with better quality than with the original console. Many games can be played at RPCS3 at 60Hz. It is also possible to scale and render titles in 4K resolution with numerous filters and textures.
RPCS3 emulatorPSP (PlayStation Portable) Emulators
Sony's laptop wasn't as successful as its competition, but we can't deny that it wasn't an outstanding machine. If you want to enjoy their titles again, there are several emulators, but we prefer to stay with the one that works best:
PPSSPP (Cross Platform)
This open source project can be moved on virtually any machine. It's intuitive Easy to use and it even has a version for phones Android. In fact, many of the apps you see in the Play Store use the PPSSPP source code.
You can use PPSSPP from any Mac, Windows or Linux computer. The program allows you to play even at Full HD resolution. In core is also available within RetroArch.
PPSSPP EmulatorPS Vita Emulators
Vita3K
If you're looking to emulate the PS Vita, there's not much to choose from. The only option available at the moment is Vita3K. It is an open source program for Windows and Linux, although it is still in a very early stage of development.
Vita3K emulatorPlayStation 4 emulators
As with the PS3, emulating the PlayStation 4 requires a machine with modern and powerful hardware. These are the most interesting emulators there are to move this Sony console:
Orbital
It works in a very similar way to ESX Emulator. Taking advantage of vulnerabilities in some early versions of PS4, Orbital developers took the opportunity to make a firmware dump. Thanks to this, Orbital can virtualize the console and get your XMB working.
Unfortunately, only games that support that feature are supported. firmware version (4.55 and 5.00). Works on Mac, Linux and Windows.
orbital emulatorspine
It's only for Linux, since it is programmed with dependencies that only exist in that operating system —although it can be made to work from the Linux subsystem for Windows—.
Its performance is quite decent, and currently, it is capable of moving more than 50 titles. Of course, we are only talking about basic games, without complex graphics.
Spine emulatorGPCS4
We are not before another finished program either, but it has a lot of future projection. It is capable of loading games and moving them around, albeit at a very low frame rate.
Once the polishing is finished optimization, GPCS4 will most likely give a lot of talk.
GPCS4 emulatorPlayStation 5 emulators
It is still too early to talk about PlayStation 5 emulators. However, there are several development teams that are already focused on this next-generation console.
The most advanced by far is KyTy, an emulator developed by InoriRus that has already overcome the most difficult barriers of its development. However, he still has a lot of work ahead of him.
KyTy emulator